The thinning of the herd?

While following the massive unexplained deaths of bats in the NE, I began to wonder what I'd find with respect to other unexplained mammal die-offs.
Nearly all of the following examples were pulled from articles published within the last 90 days:

A new study by the Bronx Zoo-based Wildlife Conservation Society found that jack rabbits living in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem have apparently
hopped into oblivion. The study, which appears in the journal Oryx, also speculates that the disappearance of jack rabbits may be having region-wide
impacts on a variety of other prey species and their predators.

According to the study, historical records from more than 130 years ago indicate that white-tailed jack rabbits were once locally abundant in Greater
Yellowstone, a 60,000 square kilometer (23,166 square mile) ecosystem that contains both Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. However, the WCS
study found that no jack rabbit sightings could be confirmed in Yellowstone since 1991 and only three in Grand Teton since 1978.

No one knows what caused the rabbits to disappear, according to the study's lead author, Dr. Joel Berger, a Wildlife Conservation Society
conservationist, and professor at the University of Montana. "It could be disease, extreme weather, predation or other factors," Dr. Berger said.
"Since the rabbits blipped off without knowledge, there has simply been no way to get at the underlying cause."

Scientists say that the moose are dying from "tipover disease," less a diagnosis than a description of how moose simply weaken and crumple to the
ground, often to be finished off by wolves or other predators. Minnesota moose seem to be dying when and where they shouldn't -- in the prime of
life, or in the fall, when they should be fat, and amid plenty of food. The causes are still largely unknown.

"These are animals in the prime of life that just look like they laid down and died," said Mike Schrage, a wildlife biologist with the Fond du Lac
Band of Ojibwe.

...

"The vast majority of them are dying from some unknown malady. We just have not been able to identify what that is," said Lenarz. "Some are
dying from what's called brain worm. Some are probably dying from winter ticks. Some are dying from who-knows-what disease or parasites out there,
but it isn't any single smoking gun."

With the total number of dead, decomposing dolphins washing up on Southeast Texas shores increasing to 64 this month, National Marine Fisheries
officials Wednesday have declared an "unusual mortality event" for the entire Texas coast.

Biologists looked back at other cases along the coastline, and found 45 more similar to those found on Jefferson and Galveston coasts, bringing the
total to 109, said Blair Mase, marine fisheries Southeast Regional Marine Mammal Stranding coordinator.

Last year, an unusual mortality event for the north Texas coast was called after 68 dolphins washed up in March, according to Enterprise archives.
A cause for the die-off wasn't found because many of the dolphins were so decomposed, according to the archives.

An unusually high number of sea otter deaths this month off the California coast has state and federal wildlife officials worried that the sea otter
population, in decline since the mid-1990's, may be experiencing troubles more serious than previously thought.

Six dead sea otters have washed ashore in the last several days, bringing to 45 the number of dead or stranded otters in California in April. That is
more than double the average number for the month in the last decade, the officials said.

''We have had other times when mortality was high, but we attributed it to various things, and it tapered off,'' said Greg Sanders, the southern
sea otter recovery coordinator for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. ''But at this point we are breaking all previous records and we
have not found a pattern.''

Young bighorn sheep along the Crystal River near Redstone aren’t surviving to adulthood.

...

The population of about 100 adult sheep ranging from just south of Carbondale to Marble are reproducing, but 85 to 95 percent of the young aren’t
surviving to adulthood, according to Colorado Division of Wildlife Officer John Groves.

“We’re not exactly sure what’s causing it,” Groves said, but bighorn lambs are dying off at about four to six weeks old.

Beyond the tipping point. It would be pure conjecture to pinpoint any one cause. But the last two years I have had 2 month bouts of morning pukes
leaving me with cramps and doubled over. Disturbance in the force for sure, whatever it is.

"Most Offspring Died When Mother Rats Ate Genetically Engineered Soy"

The Russian scientist planned a simple experiment to see if eating genetically modified (GM) soy might influence offspring. What she got, however,
was an astounding result that may threaten a multi-billion dollar industry. Irina Ermakova, a leading scientist at the Institute of Higher Nervous
Activity and Neurophysiology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), added GM soy flour (5-7 grams) to the diet of female rats. Other females were
fed non-GM soy or no soy at all. The experimental diet began two weeks before the rats conceived and continued through pregnancy and nursing.

But the real shock came when the rats started dying. Within three weeks, 25 of the 45 (55.6%) rats from the GM soy group died compared to only 3
of 33 (9%) from the non-GM soy group and 3 of 44 (6.8%) from the non-soy controls.

The soy she was testing was Monsanto’s Roundup Ready variety. Its DNA has bacterial genes added that allow the soy plant to survive applications
of Monsanto’s “Roundup” brand herbicide. About 85% of the soy gown in the US is Roundup Ready.

We started to play god and now it's paytime. US in main grower of transgenic crops. In 2006, 89% of the planted area of soybeans, 83 percent of
cotton, and 61 percent maize was genetically modified varieties. Some wild animals feed themselfs on these crops, the gm organisms gets in foodchain
and so the effect area widens...

Even if an international media blitz was funded to highlight these die-offs, nothing would be done. Why? Corporations rule the world.

How do you fight Monsanto? Cargill? Not to mention all of the chemical companies. The fact is the average world citizen, particularly American, would
prefer their cushy lifestyle and product assortment rather than the limited choices environmental regulations would mean.

Short-term satisfaction or gain is a dibilitating human frailty. We used to think more long-term because food and products had an intrinsic cost and
value to them - we had to work for it and so it represented our best efforts. As long as the world is buying and selling dirt cheap products provided
by exploitation, short-cuts and manipulation, the environment will suffer.

We must not condone this through inaction. We are on the brink of environmental collapse. How much more has to be destroyed before we take
accountability for our actions? Thanks for the informitive albeit depressing thread. This a call to action let's reclaim our birth rights and
preserve these gifts for future generations.

Well this is what happens when the human population becomes to large. With india and china producing more pollution than ever and doing nothing about
it, our planets wild life is, to put it blunt "screwed". Over fishing of the ocean by the japanese.... Bees our main pollinator disappearing, bats
our main insect control are dieing, the rainforest being destroyed and everything else that Loam posted above. So sad that all american society gives
a damn about is who is sleeping with who and not the above.

We need to put a limit on how many children one can have, at least base it on income. I know it sounds cruel and unjust but think about it, is it
really necassary to have 5+ kids anymore.(i can see back in the day running a farm having alot of kids is a + for the labor alone) I can see 2 maybe
3 thats it. Its not like we are facing extinction... I myself fear for the young of the world today, we are leaving them with such a mess, that it
may not be able to be turned around.

The world may not necessarily be in as serious ELE condition as we may wish for just yet...

With respect to the White-tailed Jack Rabbits:

Biologist withdraws rabbit claim
By MATTHEW BROWN
Associated Press

A Montana biologist has withdrawn his claim in a recent study that a rabbit species has disappeared from the Yellowstone area.

Joel Berger, a senior scientist with the Wildlife Conservation Society, said Thursday that he has been contacted by at least six biologists and
naturalists refuting his conclusions about the white-tailed jack rabbit. He said they provided photos and anecdotal evidence the rabbit still lives in
the area.

"Yes, there were some left," Berger said. "I've got egg on the face, absolutely."

Read how something seemingly innocuous as thistle can rearrange and affect the wildlife structure radically, albeit, over time.

As far as the Northern Minnesota Moose, well while this seems as though it may be a new thing, Environmentalists and Ecologist have been seeing this
happen for at least the last four years.

Wildlife researchers have learned that moose die from many causes. the puzzling demise of seemingly healthy moose has led them to mount a new study of
moose mortality.
By Greg Breining

In northeastern Minnesota during the past year, at least five emaciated but otherwise healthy-looking cow moose simply keeled over. So inexplicable
and spontaneous were their deaths that researchers call them "tipovers."

This is an article from September - October, 2003 published by the Minnesota department of Natural Resources not solely on the phenomenon, but they
were clearly worried about it then, as well.

However, you're right Loam, whether or not it's within 90 days, or 9 years, it certainly DOES make me wonder, is it normal?

There could be more at work than prevailing wisdom can wrap it's hands around at the moment.

Some possibilities are, Air, Water, Termperature, Barometric pressure, Food, Predation, I mean just so many variables, that it's a little hard to
really draw any viable conclusions.

Personally, I think yes, we (people) have a percentage of blame, taking their territory and all, but I think there may be some Earth Changes too,
affecting the process and Global Warming isn't solely on the list IMHO.
Noxious gas from yellowstone and it's affect on plantlife for the herbivores is just one example.

Before we get into much of a panic, I would recommend OP do a search further back, not just 90 days. Maybe going back a few years.

I seem to remember every so often we have clusters of stories about animal die-offs. All of them carry an alarmist tone, that this particular die-off
means the end of the species. And then, after the initial stories, we hear nothing. Rare is there follow-up. I don't know if there is a loss of
interest (hard to imagine, given media bias towards sensationalism and panic), nothing more comes of the story, or that contradictory evidence
doesn't get as much press (after all, sensationalism sells; not being on the verge of environmental collapse doesn't). Perhaps it is a combination
of all three.

I am not saying that is happening here. Maybe there is something to all of these stories. Cry wolf long enough, law of averages says you will
eventually be right. However, what I am saying is we should examine this closely before we start panicking.

For obvious reasons, anytime there are unexplained die-offs of mammals, it should raise some level of concern.

Originally posted by SaviorComplex
...after the initial stories, we hear nothing. Rare is there follow-up...

...what I am saying is we should examine this closely before we start panicking.

Therein lies the rub. The problem is not an alarmist or lazy media-- though I do agree some, but not all, articles are written in that manner. It is
primarily due to a lack of comprehensive study by the scientific community caused by insufficient resources.

When it comes to the environment, we really are pretty ignorant about the world around us. It's like living in a house and not knowing all of its
rooms or even who lives and dies there.

Loam, I'm so glad you posted this. Throughout the last year, I have posted and given sources, that a Major Extinction event is already in progress -
the biggest extinction since the dinosaurs. I was laughed at and ridiculed by almost everyone when I posted this information. Now, maybe, hopefully,
people are waking up a bit more.

Not only do almost all scientists agree that a great extinction is currently happening, but also the U.N., Worldwatch, and a host of other reputable
agencies agree. And it's been known about for a number of years. Here is a really great source of info:

It has tons of articles listed, by Reuter's, Science and Scientific American magazines, National Geographic and a host of other well-known, reputable
publications.

Almost all scientists believe that this is the worst extinction event since the dinosaurs and may be even worse. This is a very serious problem and
I'm glad to see the horrified responses by folks on this thread, since it shows we are beginning to take this seriously.

I've also read quite a bit about how dangerous GM foods are, that they are killing off alot of animals, insects, etc. It's even been proposed by
many scientists that GM crops are what is killing the bees, though this has been somewhat covered up. It has been found that the bees had remnants in
their stomach of these plants and that they were undigestible.

IMHO, I suspect that GM crops are at least responsible for much of the die-offs.

I know this is just anecdotal but my wife and I have been trying to have kids but after 4 miscarraiges we will gratefully foster and adopt. No one
really talks about miscarriages when they have them but we have found out they are much more common than your school aged sex ed classes ever let
on.

Great thread. I am ever hopeful and I trust that life will spring up wherever there is a vaccuum. Rabies nearly knocked off our coyote, skunk,
raccoon etc populations in the early 90's when it finally made it up this way. Now all of these animals are back to getting run over again.

Originally posted by loam
For obvious reasons, anytime there are unexplained die-offs of mammals, it should raise some level of concern.

Ignoring even thin evidence seems like folly to me.

Sure, however, initially every die-off is unexplained.

I am not saying that we should ignore even thin evidence; what I am saying is that we should not panic over "thin evidence," nor should we attribute
every ecological event as a sign of the end of the world.

Although this is a story that many should pay attention to, the deaths of 45 sea otters is not that much cause for alarm in my opinion. Is it merely
possible that we are looking for these changes more now? Is it possible that human expansion has put us within a hats throw of previously unaccessable
wild terrain, therefore increasing the amount of dying or dying off animals we see?
Studies are all about how you look at the data, and the methods of research you use, and the predetermined bias you have with you when you start.
This article is sad, and Yes I know that we do affect the enviornment. I know that we are not perfect, but I don't think that this is the sign of the
end times. Although I would like to see more study into the genetic crops issue. It seems to me that the real reason for the seed vault is this. Maybe
we need an animal sperm vault as well?

Originally posted by forestlady
Loam, I'm so glad you posted this. Throughout the last year, I have posted and given sources, that a Major Extinction event is already in progress -
the biggest extinction since the dinosaurs. I was laughed at and ridiculed by almost everyone when I posted this information. Now, maybe, hopefully,
people are waking up a bit more.

Not only do almost all scientists agree that a great extinction is currently happening, but also the U.N., Worldwatch, and a host of other reputable
agencies agree. And it's been known about for a number of years. Here is a really great source of info:

It has tons of articles listed, by Reuter's, Science and Scientific American magazines, National Geographic and a host of other well-known, reputable
publications.

Almost all scientists believe that this is the worst extinction event since the dinosaurs and may be even worse. This is a very serious problem and
I'm glad to see the horrified responses by folks on this thread, since it shows we are beginning to take this seriously.

I've also read quite a bit about how dangerous GM foods are, that they are killing off alot of animals, insects, etc. It's even been proposed by
many scientists that GM crops are what is killing the bees, though this has been somewhat covered up. It has been found that the bees had remnants in
their stomach of these plants and that they were undigestible.

IMHO, I suspect that GM crops are at least responsible for much of the die-offs.

Thank you for opening my eyes to this. It just clicked. A garden should be on the top of everyones agenda as well as storing food and living on
less. America's bulging waist lines have finally met their match!

Originally posted by stikkinikki
I know this is just anecdotal but my wife and I have been trying to have kids but after 4 miscarraiges we will gratefully foster and adopt. No one
really talks about miscarriages when they have them but we have found out they are much more common than your school aged sex ed classes ever let
on.

Actually 1/4 of all pregnancies end in miscarriage (though this increases depending on the age of the mother or father, up to 75%). Most of these are
in the initial days of the pregnancy, usually the woman will have had no idea she was pregnant.

No one talks about them because there is a percieved social-stigma. And they aren't talked about much in sex-ed, because it would lessen the
scare-factor they try to attach to sex.

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